Books forum

Be prepared for VIETNAM...

AlexBCN

backpacker
Posts: 12

Hi,

I am going to be travelling through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia this summer, and i want to get a better knowledge of all of them (but speacially Vietnam and Cambodia).

Do you guys know of any good book to learn a bit more about Vietnam. I am not looking for History books, but rather good novels.

I have found few good ones about Cambodia (specially "First they killed my father" about the Khmer regime), but so far I have not been that lucky with Vietnam!

Any ideas? Ah... and if you are around Vientam in July, maybe we can meet up and exchange books! :)

Thank you all

#1 Posted: 22/4/2010 - 20:50
caseyprich

som tam seller
Posts: 672
Located in:
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Cambodia

Francois Bizot, The Gate

Jon Swain, River of Time

for more: http://www.mekong.net/cambodia/reading.htm

Vietnam

The Quiet American by Graham Greene

Thu Huong Duong and Nina McPherson (Translator), Memories of a Pure Spring

Thu Huong Duong (Author), Nina McPherson (Author), Paradise of the Blind : A Novel

A top ten list - http://www.cpamedia.com/articles/20010608_01/

#2 Posted: 22/4/2010 - 21:37
bradmcfc81

motodop
Posts: 23
Located in:

For Vietnam, my personal favourite is ''The Cat From Hue" by Paul Laurence.

John Laurence covered the Vietnam war for CBS News from 1965 to 1970 and was judged by his colleagues to be the best television reporter of the war. His documentary about a squad of U.S. troops, "The World of Charlie Company," received every major award for broadcast journalism. Despite the professional acclaim, however, the traumatic stories Laurence covered became a personal burden that he carried long after the war was over.

#3 Posted: 29/7/2010 - 20:54
DLuek

adventurer
Posts: 454

I know it's not a book, but a wonderful Vietnamese film is "The Scent of Green Papaya".

#4 Posted: 30/7/2010 - 02:00
Rasheeed

adventurer
Posts: 290
Located in:

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Vietnam: A Traveler's Literary Companion has a nice variety of stories.

'sheeed

#5 Posted: 25/1/2011 - 08:40

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Banlung, Footy, and everything else that makes me more authentic than you
cisdeluca

backpacker
Posts: 13

Alive in the Killing Fields - great read for Cambodia!

#6 Posted: 27/2/2011 - 18:51
hanley

longtail driver
Posts: 6

Posted from within Vietnam.

When you get to Hanoi check out the Bookworm bookshop on Chau Long street (off Quan Thanh, near the Chau Long market), behind the Hanoi Cooking School. It's an English language bookshop and upstairs they have a great collection of books about Vietnam. Phew, it'll be hot in July!

#7 Posted: 25/4/2011 - 10:38
hanley

longtail driver
Posts: 6

Posted from within Vietnam.

Dragons on the Roof - A Year in Vietnam by Carol Howland
Catfish and Mandala

#8 Posted: 25/4/2011 - 10:42